Readers’ Rods - October 2013

Terry Haun grew up in Fresno, California, and built hot rods, Corvettes, Mopars, and pickups his entire life, starting with a ’23 T. In 1989 Terry moved to Clovis, New Mexico, and immediately opened a shop at home in which to build cars for himself and customers. One such was a very rusty and crash-damaged ’55 Nomad, which he restored and drove to California, Bonneville, and numerous rod runs.

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In 2000 Terry was diagnosed with throat cancer, driving his ’32 sedan 100 miles to Lubbock, Texas, for surgery and chemotherapy. All the while he continued building cars, finishing a Hemi-powered ’32 roadster before starting what would be his last build, a ’29 Model A roadster pickup using a Brookville body. He built all his own frames, suspension, and gas tanks. Terry worked feverishly on the ’29 until his strength failed, then his neighbor, Bill Guild, completed the car following Terry’s notes and hand gestures, once surgery took away his voice. On the last day Terry was able to be in the shop, Guild fired the truck and drove it around the block. Terry died soon after.

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Two memorial services were held, one in Clovis, followed by a second in Fresno. As well as his last hot rod, the roadster pickup, that first Model T was there. Finished in 1963, using a Model A frame, 283 Chevy engine with six Strombergs, and a ’39 toploader trans, the T was sold to a man in Fresno who still owns the wrecking yard in which he’d stored the car. He searched through several buildings until he found it, three of the tires still holding air after 30 years in storage. Terry’s life lives on through the cars he built, now treasured by many friends in California and New Mexico.

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Tim Mounts
Lafayette, Idaho1929 Ford Model A

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Tim Mounts bought his ’29 Model A roadster pickup at the NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2009, the previous owner telling him that the pinstriping was done by none other than Von Dutch. While the fenders have been repainted, the remainder of the body wears old paint and striping.

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There’s a plaque on the dash that says it was an exhibit of honor at the rod and custom show in San Mateo, California, in 1956, and Tim has since found a picture of the truck in the Jan. ’57 issue of Rodding and Restyling. The truck was obviously built in the ’50s in California, and Tim would appreciate any further information on it.

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Dennis Byard
North Tustin, California 1938 Chevrolet Coupe

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After years as a muscle car guy, Dennis Byard saw the light, sold his Chevelle, and bought a ’38 Chevy coupe. An older frame-off restoration, it only had 11,000 miles on the powertrain, but was in need of a little freshening and TLC. New paint and replacing, servicing, and polishing what was required, brought it to its present state.

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With a 350/350 combo, Dennis couldn’t completely shake his Chevelle past, as the rearend is a 10-bolt from that model, though there’s a Mustang II IFS under the front fenders with power steering. The current Boyds wheels that came on the coupe will soon be replaced by chromed Americans. That new paint is Orchid Pearl and Black Cherry.